Warning as Brits feel the heat

– Premature deaths from heatwaves in Britain could more than treble to around 7 000 a year by mid-century if the government does not take action, a committee of lawmakers said yesterday.

The warning is topical as Britain swelters in a heatwave, with temperatures of 32-34oC possible in southern and eastern England this week, according to the UK Met Office.

The lawmakers called on the government to develop a strategy to protect the health of the elderly in periods of extreme heat.

In August 2003, a 10-day heatwave across Europe was thought to be the warmest for up to 500 years. The heatwave led to more than 20 000 deaths across Europe, including 15 000 in France alone and 2 193 in Britain.

London

The highest temperature in Britain was recorded at 38.5oC. A similar heatwave occurred in July 2006 and there have been periods of unusually hot weather or heatwaves in July 2013, July 2015, July-September 2016, June 2017, April 2018 and June-July 2018.

The Met Office predicts there is a risk that similarly intense heatwaves will occur every other year by the 2040s and the average number of heat-related deaths in Britain will more than triple to 7 000 a year by the 2050s, the cross-party environmental audit committee said in a report.

The government is failing to address the danger of heatwaves, the committee warned.

“Heatwave warnings threaten health, wellbeing and productivity,” said Mary Creagh, chair of the committee. – Reuters